www.gradeup.co www.gradeup.co Important News: State Maithri Aquatech sets up the 'World's First Mobile Water from Air Kiosk and Water Knowledge Centre' in the smart city Visakhapatnam • This initiative is supported by GVMC (Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation) and project SEWAH (Sustainable Enterprises for Water and Health) - an alliance between USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and SWN (Safe Water Network). • The kiosk will provide clean, mineral-enriched potable water harvested from the air by making use of Maithri Aquatech's own MEGHDOOT solution as a source to generate water with no dependency on scarce groundwater as well as surface water resources. • Maithri Aquatech is a Hyderabad-based company. The company has developed an innovative solution called MEGHDOOT which can generate water by harvesting the moisture in the air. ‘Anandam: The Center for Happiness’ in IIM Jammu • Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal inaugurates ‘Anandam: The Center for Happiness’ at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu virtually. • Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha; Founder, Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar virtually attended the occasion. • It aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 that aims to transform India’s education system by 2021. • ‘Anandam: The Center for Happiness’ will be divided into five broad categories, namely, Counselling, Holistic wellness, Elective courses on Happiness Development, Research and Leadership & Faculty Development. www.gradeup.co Uttar Pradesh government approves scheme offering affordable rental housing for urban migrants and poor • The Uttar Pradesh government will start the Affordable Rental Housing and Complexes (ARHC) scheme for poor people living in cities and a proposal to this effect was approved by the state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. • About ARHC scheme: It has been launched by the government of India through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the 'self-reliant India' campaign. • Note: The scheme will be implemented under two models in the state. • Model one involves converting vacant houses funded by the central or state government into an ARHC through an agreement. • Under the second model, ARHC will be built, operated and maintained by public/private entities on their available vacant land. Maharashtra government declares Amboli as biodiversity heritage site • The Maharashtra government declared an area at Amboli in Western ghats in Sindhudurg district, where a rare freshwater fish species was discovered, as a biodiversity heritage site. • Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's son Tejas Thackeray, who is a wildlife researcher, and his team had discovered the new freshwater fish species - Schistura Hiranyakeshi near Amboli in Sawantwadi tehsil of Sindhudurg district. • The discoveries of the freshwater fish species were published in the International Journal of Ichthyology in the October 2020 edition by Tejas Thackeray and co-authors. • Other Biodiversity Heritage Site in Maharashtra: • Glory of Allapalli in Gadchiroli district, Landor Khori Park in Jalgaon, Ganesh Khind in Pune, Myristica Swamp Vegetation in Sindhudurg district Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan receives ‘Kalinga Ratna’ award 2021 • Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India presented the ‘Kalinga Ratna’ award for the year 2021 to Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan for literary works. • The award was presented during the 600th Birth Anniversary of Adikabi Sarala Das and 40th Annual Celebrations of Sarala Sahitya Sansad during the programme held at Sarala Bhawan in Cuttack. • The Kalinga Ratna award carried a silver statue of Goddess Saraswati and a copper plaque. Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh lists at BSE www.gradeup.co • Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh listed itself at BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and successfully raised Rs. 150 Crores by issuing Municipal Bond on Private Placement Basis using BSEBOND. • This is the first ever green bond issuance by any Municipal Corporation in the country. • Note:Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation is the second Municipal Corporation to raise funds in the state of Uttar Pradesh. • Earlier, Lucknow Municipal Corporation had listed itself at BSE. • About BSE Limited: It, formerly known as the Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd., is an Indian stock exchange located at Dalal Street, Mumbai. Established in 1875, it is Asia's oldest stock exchange. Rajasthan becomes first state to provide health insurance for all its residents • The state began the registration for Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme, announced by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the state budget 2021-22. • Rajasthan has become the first state in the country, where each family will get health insurance of Rs 5 lakh each year. • Facts about Rajasthan: Governor: Kalraj Mishra o Capital: Jaipur o Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot India’s first farm-based solar power plant comes up in Rajasthan • The first farm-based solar power plant under the Prime Minister’s Kisan Urja Suraksha Evum Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme has come up in Jaipur district’s Kotputli tehsil with a provision for production of 17 lakh units of electricity every. • Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) commissioned the first of India’s farm based solar power projects under the KUSUM Scheme. • A 1 MW project established on 3.5 acres of farmland in Bhaloji village, Kotputli tehsil in Jaipur, it is also the first of 623 farm based solar projects selected by RRECL for generating 722 MW capacity in Rajasthan under the first phase of Kusum scheme. • About Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Yojana: It was launched by the Government of India to increase the income of farmers and provide sources for irrigation and de-dieselising the agricultural sector. • The scheme was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRI) in 2019 for setting up solar pumps and other new power plants across the country. www.gradeup.co Rs 110 crore ROPAX Jetty Project to come up on river Dhamra in Odisha • Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has accorded administrative approval for sanction of Rs 50.30 crore for developing all-weather ROPAX (Roll-on/Roll- off Passenger) Jetty and allied infrastructure connecting Kaninali in Bhadrak district & Talachua in Kendrapara district, Odisha under the Sagarmala initiative. • The Government of Odisha will fund another 50% cost of the project. • This project will reduce travel time for passengers from 6 hours by road to 1 hour by waterway. • Kaninali in Bhadrak district and Talachua in Kendrapada district, are located on the northern and southern banks of River Dhamra respectively. • The project will facilitate indirect employment opportunities to locals around Dhamra River and reduce road distance of ~200 km from Talachua to Dhamra. Ladakh Ignited Minds: A Centre of Excellence and Wellness (An Indian Army initiative in partnership with HPCL) • As part of the Indian Army's sustained initiative to secure a better future for Ladakhi youth, the Leh based Corps of Indian Army, signed an MoU with corporate partner Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and executing agency National Integrity and Educational Development Organisation, (NIEDO) at Leh. • The project Ladakh Ignited Minds: A Centre of Excellence and Wellness has been conceptualized to secure a better future for the youth of UT of Ladakh and www.gradeup.co is a full-time residential program to mentor and guide them for a period of twelve months for entrance examinations of various Medical and Engineering Colleges spread across in India. • The program under the aegis of Indian Army will be executed by Kanpur based NGO, National Integrity & Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO). Army would oversee the overall operations to include administration and logistics with requisite funding support through Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). • Facts about Ladakh: Union territory established: 31 October 2019 Capital Leh, Kargil Lieutenant Governor: Radha Krishna Mathur Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute, Budni (Madhya Pradesh) tests the first-ever electric Tractor in the Institute • The institute received the application for an electric tractor under Confidential Test initially. • Accordingly, the institute has tested the tractor & released the Draft Test Report in February 2021. After the release of the draft test report, the manufacturer has requested for conversion of the nature of the test from “Confidential to Commercial” and the competent authority has accepted the request of the manufacturer. Accordingly, the Test Report was released as a Commercial Test Report. • The Institute has obtained the NABL Certificate of Accreditation for CMVR Test Laboratory on 30th March 2021. Important News: India www.gradeup.co MoU signed towards execution of planned actions in time bound manner in 132 cities under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) • In the presence of Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by representatives of State Pollution Control Boards, Urban Local Bodies and Institutes of Repute for 132 identified cities for implementation of city specific action plans under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). • A National Knowledge Network comprising leading air quality specialists has also been constituted as a technical advisory group to support activities